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Taiwan offers glimpse of home-built submarine designed to deter Beijing

  • First indigenous defence submarine to be launched in five years, shipbuilder says as construction work begins
  • President Tsai Ing-wen hails progress as proof of the island’s ability to defend itself

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A model of Taiwan’s planned home-built submarine, unveiled on Thursday. Photo: CNA

Taiwan has revealed details of its home-built submarine as President Tsai Ing-wen vowed to bolster the self-ruled island’s navy power to counter possible attacks from the mainland.

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The vessel will have an X-shaped stern resembling Japan’s diesel-electric Soryu-class attack submarine, and the shipbuilder announced on Thursday that the first one is expected to be launched in 2024.

“Our first indigenous defence submarine is expected to be launched 60 months from now, and delivery will be completed in 78 months,” said Cheng Wen-lon, chairman of Taiwanese company CSBC Shipbuilding, during a ceremony in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan.

The shipbuilder has won the NT$49.5 billion (US$1.6 billion) contract to build a prototype submarine after the island was unable to find foreign suppliers, who came under pressure from Beijing.

Beijing – which considers Taiwan a wayward province that must be returned to the mainland’s fold, by force if necessary – has warned other countries against selling arms to or forging high-level ties with the democratically ruled island.

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